Not Applicable
Not Applicable
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to clean rooms and to the arrays of filters used in clean rooms and like spaces where ultra-pure air is required. More particularly, the invention relates to improvements in the mounting of filter units in clean room filter arrays. In a specific embodiment, the invention provides a quick-connect mounting for filter units using a common anchor array for supporting spring-loaded retaining pins supporting the filter units, a series of outwardly projecting brackets that engage the pins, and in preferred embodiments stabilizing clips to block unwanted movement of spring fastener-mounted filter units by selectively rigidly spacing the pin heads and the bracket.
2. Description of the Related Art
Filter unit support in clean rooms has frequently involved grids of support members that may contain sealing gels. More recently, filter units have been supported in small groups or individually. See U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,350,862, 3,360,910, 3,780, 503, 3,808,777, 4,178,159, 4,239,109, 4,601,737, 4,883,511, 5,329,739, 5,454,756, 5,871,556, 5,946,875, 6,070,383, 6,183,528, 6,190,431, DE 3719734 and DE 3836147, Certain of such systems have involved special hardware requirements that have proved costly. Lower cost installations with ready filter interchange capability are always in demand and there is thus a need for a simplified filter unit support system.
Further, the use in some systems of spring loaded pins to maintain the filter units in place sometimes permits movement of the filter under force from above such as walking person atop the filter array, or earthquake disturbances. This movement, while permitted by the spring mounting of the filter units, is undesirable as the sealing between adjacent filters, critical to the integrity of the clean room, may be compromised by the movement.
It is an object, therefore, of the present invention to provide an improved clean room ceiling filter array support system. It is a further object to provide filter units having on their sides projecting brackets that receive mounting pins. Another object is to provide an overhead anchor structure that is slotted to receive transverse members in pin mounting relation to support the filter units by the pins that engage the unit brackets. Yet another object is to provide for the adjustment, vertically, rotationally, etc. of the pins from within the clean room, from below the filter units, at pin heads that are accessible from the within the clean room, i.e. there are downwardly available heads on the pins. A further object is to provide a clip that engages between the pin head and the bracket to remove the springiness in the filter unit mounting and stabilize the system against shifting of the units.
These and other objects of the invention to become apparent hereinafter are realized in a clean room filter support system for supporting a clean room filter unit in spaced relation to a support surface bordering a clean room, the filter unit comprising a perimetrical frame having four sides of a predetermined vertical extent with upper and lower edges and filtering material held within the frame for air flow between a first plane incorporating rear face of the filter material and a second plane incorporating a front face of the filter material, at least one side of the perimetrical frame defining an outwardly projecting bracket between the one side upper and lower edges, a connector extending vertically between the support surface and the filter unit frame, the connector comprising a rod supported from the support surface and an anchor structure supported by the rod, a pin engaged with the bracket and adjustable to selectively engage the anchor structure to couple the filter unit by its the bracket to the anchor structure, the pin being adjustable for selectively engaging the anchor structure.
In this and like embodiments, typically, the pin is accessible for adjustment from within the clean room and the frame is formed of metal, the outwardly projecting bracket is integrally formed with the side wall, the outwardly projecting bracket is spaced from each of the first and second planes, the pin is a component of a pin and spring assembly disposed generally parallel to the one side and perpendicular to the bracket, the pin penetrating the bracket in engaging relation, the assembly pin has a head facing the second plane, the pin head has a shoulder facing the first plane, the spring being centered on the pin with its lower end blocked against the shoulder and its upper end blocked against the bracket to resiliently urge the pin from the bracket, the pin has a locking member on the opposite side of the bracket from the spring that locks the pin against exiting from the bracket against the urging of the spring, the pin has a continued extent above the bracket extending to the anchor structure, and there are cooperating fasteners on the pin continued extent and the anchor structure to anchor the pin in place, the cooperating fasteners comprise opposed flanges on the anchor structure spaced across a slot, and an upper transverse member carried by the pin continued extent arranged to pass through the slot in one adjustment of the pin and to engage the flanges in a second adjustment of the pin to support the pin in place against the weight of the filter unit, the pin further comprises a lower transverse member engaged in detented relation with the bracket to maintain the second adjustment of the pin in the anchor structure, the filter unit is shiftable downwardly relative to the pin against the urging of the spring on the bracket, and in certain embodiments there is also a clip rigidly engaged between the bracket and the shoulder to block downward shifting of the filter unit; and, the clip comprises a generally U-shaped member with left and right legs and a cross-piece joining the legs at one end thereof, the member cross-piece being engaged with the bracket and journaled on the pin, the legs having opposed upsets arranged to receive and rigidly engage the pin head against shifting of the filter unit against the urging of the spring at the bracket, the legs being outwardly deflectable in pin head disengaging relation to free the pin for adjustment.
In a further embodiment, the invention provides a clean room filter support system for supporting a clean room filter unit in spaced relation to a support surface, the filter unit comprising a perimetrical frame having four sides of a predetermined vertical extent with upper and lower edges and filtering material held within the frame for air flow between a first plane incorporating rear face of the filter material and a second plane incorporating a front face of the filter material, at least two opposed sides of the perimetrical frame defining outwardly projecting brackets between and spaced from each of the first and second planes, a connector extending vertically between the support surface and the filter unit frame, the connector comprising a rod supported from the support surface and an anchor structure supported by the rod, a headed pin and spring assembly at each bracket, the assembly being generally parallel to its adjacent frame side and engaged with the bracket and bodily adjustable to selectively engage the anchor structure to couple the filter unit by its the brackets to the anchor structure, the assembly resiliently connecting the connector to the bracket shiftably against the spring to support the filter frame on the connector, each the assembly pin being bodily adjustable for selectively engaging the anchor structure.
In this and like embodiments, typically, each the outwardly projecting bracket is integrally formed with its respective side wall, each outwardly projecting bracket is intermediate its frame upper and lower edges, each pin and spring assembly is disposed generally perpendicular to the bracket, each pin penetrating the bracket in engaging relation, each assembly pin head faces the second plane, each pin head having a shoulder facing the first plane, each spring being centered on its pin with its lower end blocked against the shoulder and its upper end blocked against the bracket to resiliently urge the pin from the bracket, each pin having a locking member on the opposite side of the bracket from the spring that locks the pin against exiting from the bracket against the urging of the spring, the pin having a continued extent above the bracket extending to the anchor structure, and cooperating fasteners on the pin continued extent and the anchor structure to anchor the pin in place.
Further, typically, the cooperating fasteners comprise opposed flanges on the anchor structure spaced across a slot, and there is an upper transverse member carried by the pin continued extent arranged to pass through the slot in one adjustment of the pin and to engage the flanges in a second adjustment of the pin to support the pin in place against the weight of the filter unit, each pin further comprises a lower transverse member engaged in detented relation with its respective bracket to maintain the second adjustment of the pin in the anchor structure, the filter unit is shiftable downwardly relative to each the pin against the urging of the spring on the bracket, and including also a clip rigidly engaged between each the bracket and shoulder to block downward shifting of the filter unit, the clip comprises a generally U-shaped member with left and right legs and a cross-piece joining the legs at their opposed ends, the cross-piece being engaged with its bracket and centered or journaled on its pin, the legs having opposed upsets arranged to receive and rigidly engage the pin head shoulder against shifting of the filter unit against the urging of the spring at the bracket, the legs being outwardly deflectable in pin head disengaging relation to free the pin for adjustment.
In a particular embodiment, the invention provides a clip adapted for centering on a headed retaining pin and engagement between a filter unit frame bracket and pin head, the clip comprising a generally U-shaped member of resilient material with left and right legs and a cross-piece joining the legs at opposed ends thereof, the cross-piece defining an opening that passes the pin and engages the bracket, the legs having opposed upsets arranged to receive and rigidly engage the pin head against shifting of the filter unit against the urging of the spring at the bracket, the legs being outwardly deflectable in pin head disengaging relation to free the pin for adjustment relative to the clip.
In a further particular embodiment, the invention provides a filter unit comprising a four-sided frame, at least one side of the frame having a projecting bracket that is apertured to pass a retaining pin.